Director firing system



11,474,745 J. B. WALKER ET AL DIRECTOR FIRING SYSTEH Nov. 20 1923.

Original Filed No'v. 22 1919 5 Sheets-$heet I- v Li 1 F5 L ,L

Nov. 20-, 1923. 1,474,745

J. B. WALKER ET AL I DIRECTOR FIRING SYSTEM Original Filed Nov. 22,1919 5 sheetsfiflleot 2 anumtou JBIIkl/I'er MJZIMJ 3% W anew;

Nov. 20 1923. 1,474,745

J. B. WALKERET AL DIRECTOR FIRING SYSTEM Original Filed Nov. 22, 1919 s Shets-Sheet 4 mega anmw to 4 (XIII/km Nov. 20 1923.

Original Filed Nov. 22, 1919 w y f 5 Shee ts-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

JOHN BERNARD WALKER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

AND ALEXANDER RUSSELL BOND, OF PLAINFIELE, NEW JERSEY.

DIRECTOR FIRING SYSTEM.

Application filed November 22, 1919, Serial No. 339,941.

To a]? whom it may concem:

Be it known that we, JOHN BERNARD gtizen's of the United States, 5

V LKER and ALEXANDER RUSSELL BOND,

residing at rooklyn, New York, and Plainfield, New

Jersey, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements in Director Firing Systems,- cation. ()ur of which the following is a specifiinvention relates particularly to what is known as master or director firing of the batteries of warships, in which a whole battery of guns of the same ballistic properties, is elevated,

fired by one man; and it is the invention to enable one man ueously elevate and fire time during the roll of conditions of wind and gagement is practicable.

caliber and trained and object of our to simultathe battery, at any the ship and in any sea in which an en- In arranging a ships battery for director firing, it is recognized that the fundamental adjustment is that of bringing the turntables of the guns into parallel planes, which preferably shall be when the ship is floating in the parallel with the water,

vertical position. Not only should the machining of the lower roller path be done when the ship is afloat, but the ship should be loaded, as nearly as is pra-ticable, as she will be when in fighting trim, with the ammunition,

stores, coal, etc.,' or weights corresponding thereto, stowed as conditions.

they will be in service The guns are then caiibrated and [he elevating and firingmechanisms are so adjusted that when one gun get all are on, and the wholeis on the tarbattery may be fired simultaneously by-a single'pointer.

buclr a result can be secured parallelism of the turntables,

only it the as adjusted when the ship is afloat, in drydock, or in a shetered basin, is maintained when the ship is at sea and being subjected to the complicated stresses which are set up within her elastic steel'st-r-ucture by the action of the It is our belief that in certain positions of the, direct-ion torsional stresses will occur ow the turn Renewed July 18, 1923.

tables out of parallel adjustment, and produce more or less deviation from the common line of fire upon which the success of director firing depends.

It is the object of our invention to provide means for recording such distortions as occur in the ship and means for applying to each turret the necessary correction for maintaining its guns in parallel with the other guns of the battery.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan View showing a ship steaming on a quartering course with re gard to the waves.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of mid ship taken near the bow on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow and showing a sea striking the starboard bow of the ship.

Figure 3 is a view showing distortion of the ship and change in elevation of the guns produced by said distortion.

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the ship on line 4-4 of Figure 1, taken near the stern looking toward the bow, showing a sea leaving the port quarter of the ship.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section on the centerline of a 4 our torsion shaft for registering the distortions of a ship due to the stresses set up in a seaway.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 66 of Figure 1, showing our torsion shaft and means for registering transverse twistof the ship on graduated electrical contact plates.

Figures -7 and 7 are diagrammatic views of the torsion shaft and the contact plates showing relative plates produced by twist'of the ship at bow and stern, respectively.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view of a ball bearing for said torsion shaft.

Figure t) is an enlarged view of a fixed center support for said torsion shaft.

movements of the contact Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view showing our improved means for simultaneously elevating and depressing a plurality of guns.

Figure 11 illustrates a control lever and accexory mechanism.

Figure 12 is a section taken on line 1212 of Figure 11 but showing certain movable parts in a different position.

Figure 13 is a plan section taken on line 13-13 of Figure 14 showing an improved gyratory looking motor.

Figure 14 is a vertical section on iine 1414 of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a diagram of electrical connections em loyed in our means for simultaneousl e'l rality 0 guns and Figures 16 and 17 show a modified form of our locking motor. 4

Referring to the drawings, 50 Figure 1 is a plan view of a battleship which is, steaming in the direction indicated by arrow 51 against a quartering sea, the direction of whose waves, with respect to the ship, is indicated by arrows 52, 52. Under these conditions, the .wave at the bow, indicated by arrow 52, will be higher on the starboard than on the port side, and the wave at the stern, as indicated by arrow 52, will be in her on the port than ou the starboard si e.

In Figure 2, which is a vertical transverse section on line 22, Figure 1, and in Figure 4, which is a similar section on line 44,

Figure 1, these effects are more clearly shown. It will be seen that in Figure 2 the center of buoyancy 53' has moved to the right or starboard of the vertical axis 54: of the ship, and that in Figure 4 the center of buoyancy 55 has moved to the left or port of the vertical axis 56 of the ship at said 'section. The upward thrust of the displaced water at these respective sections being therefore to the right and left of the longitudinal axis 80 of the ship, as shown in F igure 1, produces a torsional stress within the structure of the ship, which, being elastic, must be subject to distortion such as shown in Figure 3. It will be seen that the bow of the ship with its turret 57 is sprung over to port, and the stern of the ship with its turret 58 is similarly sprung over to starboard. The effect of these movements, if all the guns are trained abeam on the starboard broadside, is to throw guns 59 in the bow turret above the intended common line of director fire, and to throw guns 60 of the stern turret below said line, thus defeating the object of director firing.

It will be evident, also, that the deviation of the several guns in the battery will bear a proportional relation to their distance from the transverse midship plane 61, Figure 1, of the ship, the deviation being least in the turret which is nearest to said midevating and depressing a pluship plane, and increasing proportionately to the distance of any turret from said plane 61.

In order to maintain the several guns of a battery in true parallel in their elevation, we provide a stifi longitudinal member 62, Figure 5, preferably a steel pipe of large diameter, which is carried with its axis parallel to the neutral axis 80 of the ship, as shown in Figures 5 and 1. Preferably this member 62 is supported from the protective deck, 64;, although for convenience it might be carried in some other position, provided care were taken to place it parallel throughout its length with the said neutral axis 80. The member 62 is carried preferably in ball or other bearings 63, 63*, 63',-

etc., which are themselves bolted to the structure of the ship, as shown in Figures 5. 8 and 9. At some one point in its length, and preferably where it intersects the transverse midship plane 61 of the ship, the member 62 is bolted firmly to the structure of the ship by a bolt 65 which passes through the mem ber 62 and through a block 68 which carries the said member 62 at said point of support. Now, since the pipe 62 is fixed firmly to the ship in the midship transverse, plane 61, and the pipe is free to rotate in its ball-bearing supports 63, 63, 63 etc., it follows that-any twist of the ship forward or aft of the support 68 will not be communicated to 'the member 62, the various bearings 63, 63, 63", etc., turning around said member.

In order to record the movement of the ships structure at the several turrets, we attach firmly to the member 62 a series of levers, or other suitable members, 67, 67, 67, 67, (Figs. 7, 7 and 10), one at each barbette, which are carefully adjusted when the turret turntables are trued up in the dockyard, so that they shall be exactly parallel to the vertical axes of the respective turrets.

At the top of each arm, 67. 67, etc. is

carried a contact plate 69, 69*. which contacts with another similarly graduated contact plate 70, 70 fixed to the structure of the ship. Now it is evident that since the torsion-recording member is rigid, and is attached rigidly to the ship in the latters transverse midship plane 61 is attached rigidly at no other point. the members 67, 67. 67", etc., will remain always in the same plane regardless of the twist of the ship. and the contact plates 70, 70, etc. which are fixed to the ship will be moved with relation to said members 69. 69*, through angular distances corresponding to the twist of the ship at the points in its length at which said members are placed. Thus in the diagrammatic view, Figure 7, which indicates the twist of the bow to port at turret 57 (Fig. 1 the contact plate 70 on the ship will move 'past contact plate 69 on the torsion-recordarrow 71. Similarly, in Figure '7- which indicates the twist of the stern at turret 71,

the contact plate 7 a on the ship will move to starboard, as indicated by arrow 71.

It thus becomes possible to record at'each turret the angular distortion which-takes place; and we provide means, as below described, by which the effects of said distortion tending to throw the guns of each turret out of their proper elevation with respect to the plane of members 67, 67, etc., can be automatically eliminated, and absolutely similar elevations can be maintained with respect to a fixed plane on all the guns of the battery.

In Figure 10 are shown two guns 81 and 81 fitted in sleeves 82 and 82 mounted in the customary manner on trunnions 83 and 83. The guns are respectivel provided with elevating mechanism 84 an 84 of well known design, connected to power shafts 85 and 85 of motors 86 and 86". The purpose of said elevating mechanism is to keep the guns trained upon the target while the ship is rolled by the waves. o vary the speed of the power shafts 85, 85 we provide the mechanism A and A, respectively, and of identical construction, illustrated more clearly in Figures 13 and 14. Keyed to theshaft 85 is a spur pinion 87 meshing wit a spur gear 88 keyed to a shaft 89 mounted in suita bearings 90. Said shaft 89 also carries a worm-wheel 91 keyed thereto which meshes with a worm 92 keyed to shaft 93 mounted in bearings 94. Said worm is provlded with suitable thrust bearings 95. The

gearing between the motor shaft 85 and the shaft 93 is such that the motor 86 wilt be unable to rotate shaft 93 or will be just barely able to rotatesaid shaft when the latter carries no load. It will be evident then, that the speed of shaft 85 may be controlled by a motor of relatively small horsepower operatin to turn said shaft 93 at variable speeds. For this purpose we provide a gyrating auxiliary motor of special construction arranged to be moved step by step at variabze speeds under control of a hand operated mechanism B As shown in Figures 13 and 14 our auxiliary motor comprises a series of preferably U-shaped electro-magnets 96 arranged in a circle with their axes parallel to the axis of said circle and their planes radially disposed. Preferably only the outer leg 97 of each magnet is wound with an energizing coil 98. Mounted on a ball bearing 99 at the center of said circle is a frame 100 of pyramidal form at the apex of which is a ball 101 fitting in a socket bearing formed in a crank 102 secured by a bolt 103 to shaft 93. The ball bearing 99 is concentric with axis of shaft 93 prolonged, and hence as the ball 101 is eccentric to said shaft the pyramidal frame 100 is tipped out of the vertical position. The base of said frame consists of a plate 103 of non-magnetic material fitted with armatures 104, each armature bemg formed with two bosses or conical plungers 105 adapted to enter sockets 106 formed in the legs of the respective electromagnets- 96. It will be evident that-if the magnets 96 are successively energized they wil. cause the plate 103'to pursue a 'gyratory or oscil latory motion about its bearing 99 without revolving, however, for the reason that the plungers 105 meshing with the -electro-mag-' nets 96 prevent revolution of said plate. But the apex of the frame will revolve about the axis of the shaft 93, carrying the crank 102 with it and shaft 93;

The windings 98 of the electro-magnets are individually connected to contacts on a plate 106 of a controlling mechanism B, said contacts being adapted to be energized from a source of power 107 through contact arm:-

thereby rotating the 108. Instead of providing a. separate wire for each magnet and a common return wire or ground, we prefer to use fewer wires arranged in combinations. For instance, in Figures 13, 14 and 15 we have shown eighteen electro-magnets connected with but'five. wires, but said wires are used in nine different combinations of-two .wires each. These wires are indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, '4 and 5, respectively. Diametrically opposite windings 98 are connected-in series to the same pair of wires, but they arev oppositely wound. The armatures 105'are preferably polarized so that as a magnet on one side is attracting its armature that on the diametrically opposite side is repelling its armature. This arrangement calls for but nine combinations of wires. The opposite pairs of windings are respectively connected to the following combinations of wires: 1-2, 1 4., 1-5, M, 2-4, 2 5, 3 1, 3-4, and 3-5.' successively energized the current is reversed so that the magnets which were attract ng their armatures before will be repelling them now, and vice' versa. Thus, two diametrically opposed waves of energy of opposite polarity may be made to sweep around the circle of magnets.

While we use the member 98 to designate the windings of the magnets in general, we distinguish individual magnet coils by using the numbers of the wires connected to their terminals. Thus, magnet 35 is one whose terminals are connected to wires 3 and 5. The arrangement of contacts on the plate 106 is shown in the diagram, Figure 15. These contacts are directly connected to line wires 1', 2,'3', 4 and 5-. The contacts are individually designated with the same numbers as the wires with which they are normally connected. They are arranged in two After said combinations have been concentric circular rows 106 and 106" adapted to be connected tocthe positive and negative terminals, respectively, of the source of current supply 107 Reversal of the current is obtained by transposing-the contacts in said circles. Thus, a complete group ofcontacts'ior eghteen magnets is'embraced be- 106 are arranged to form two complete cir-- cles, and'said circles are made up'of an aliquot number of groups C. Mounted on an arm 108 are two contact brushes-109 and 110 respectively connected With'mains 111 and 112 leading from the current source 107. The brushes 109 and 110 are adapted to contact with the contacts in rows 106" and 106 respectively. Y

Interposed between said contacts and the magnet windings 98 is our torsiomcorrect'ng device. The la-te 70 which is secured to the shipis prov'i ed with two rows of contacts 113' and 1-13 adapted to contact respectively with the rows of contacts} 14 and ll l car ried by plate 69, said plate being secured to the torsion shaft 62. Contacts 113 and 113 are arranged in the same series of combinations as the contacts in rows 106" and 106 and are directly connected thereto by wires 1, 2, 3', 4'- and 5',as shown in Figure 15,

individual contacts being numbered with the same numbers as corresponding contacts on plate 106. Contact -114 and 114 are also arranged in corresponding series of combinations with individual contacts bearing'the same numbers as corresponding levers 1, 2, 3, '4 and 5. \Vhen there is no twist of the ship contacts 113 and 113 will contact with contacts 114 and 114" of similar number. In Figure brushes 109 and 110 are shown as making contact with contacts 2t-5, 3-1 and 3-4' on plate 106, and were there no twist of the ship the corresponding magnet coils 2-5, 2-5; 3-1, 3-1 and 3-4, 3-4 would be energized. But plates and 69 arerepresented (in Figure 15) as having shifted relatively one to the'other so that insteadv magnets 2-3, 2-3, 2-4, 2-4 and 2-5, 2-5 are energized. In Figure 15 is also shown another torsion correcting device D located in a different part of a ship and consisting of plate 70 secured to the ship and a plate 69 secured to torsion shaft 62. Contacts on plate '70 are respectively connected to corresponding contacts on plate 106, and contacts on plate 69 are connected to motor A. In Figure 15 plates 70 and 69 are represented as having shifted relatively one to the other by a difi'erent amount from that of similar plates 70 and 69, so that magnet coils 3-1, 3-1; 3-4, 3-4 and 3-5, 3-5 will be energized in motor A' (not shown in Figure 15) although brushes 109 and 110 are contacting with contacts 2-5, 3-1 and 3-4. Thus the energizing wave through the magnets 98 of a set of motors may be retarded or advanced. in proportion to the torsion of the ship .in the vicinity of said motor. 1

To operate the cont-act arm 108 We provide the mechanism illustrated inv Figures 11 and 12. The am 108 is mounted to turn in a shaft 115. .Affixed to said arm or integrally formed therewith is a pinion 116 meshing with a toothed sector 117 mounted to turn on a shaft118. on said shaft is also mounted a hand lever 119 having contacts 120 and 121 adapted to contact with contacts-122 and 123 on one side of said lever or with contacts 124 and 125 on the other side of said lever. Contacts 122 and 123 are mounted on a spring-pressed plunger 126 while contacts 124 and 125 are mounted on a spring-pressed plunger 127.

'As indicated in Figure 15 the contacts 120 and 121. are respectively connected by wires 6 and 7 to the mains 111 and 112. 1 Contacts 125 and 122 are connected to one terminal and when contacts 120 and 121 engage contacts 124 and 125v said motors will turn in the opposite direction. In'other words, the contacts on lever 119 and the coacting contacts on sector 117 constitute a pole changing switch for the power motors 86 and 86.

When the operator moves the lever 119 from a position of rest he first energizes the power motors 86 and 86*, causing them to turn in one direction or the other, dependingupon the direction in which he has thrown the lever 119. One or the other of the plunger sprin 'mitted through said spring to the sector 117 to overcome friction and inertia of the various parts, whereupon the sector 117 will 'turn the pinion 116, causing arm 108 to and contactsil24 V and i 123. tethe other term 1:1,

It will be clear from 126, 127 will thereby.- be compressed untll sufiicient force is trans-- ....--aW WWM tarts 106 and 108 over said contacts, plus or minus the correction for torsion of the ship as ex-' plained above As soon as the power motors 86, 86, etc.. are energized they exerta torque on the shafts 8 etc. However, said shafts cannot be rotated owing to their gear connect-ion with the respective magnetic auxiliary motors A, A, etc.. until said locking motors are actuated by the sweep of the arm 108 over the rows of con- 106". Furthermore... said motor shafts 85, 85", etc., actuated by the power motors 86, 86. etc., will move as fast as their respective auxiliary motors A,-A, etc, permit them to. As long as the lever 119 is moved the elevating mechanism will operate and at a. commensurate rate, and when the lever is stopped the elevating mechanism will also stop. In order to prevent said elevating mechanism from stopping too abruptly the arm 108 is provided with a weight 129 and counterweight 130. The inertiaof said weights will cause said arm to lag behind the lever 119 in case said lever starts or stops very abruptly and thereby prevent excessively rapid startingand stopping of the motor A.

In operation then. a pointer 131 with his eye at the customary telescope 132 mounted on the gun 81 endeavors to keep the sights or hair lines of his telescope on the target by moving the lever 119 forward or backward and correspondingly moving the gun and his telescope up and down with respect to the ship. If a number of motors 86, 86*, etc, are connected in parallel. said motors respectively operating guns 81, 81, etc.. under control of auxiliary motors A, A, etc, said guns will be simultaneously elevated or depressed through equal arcs plus or minus the correction for twist of the ship provided by the mechanism D, D, etc., actinsr respectively on the circuits.

Each gun is provided with a controller mechanism B adapted to control the elevating apparatus of all the guns, but normally all but one of said controller mechanisms are rendered inactive by opening multiple switches 133 and thereby disconnecting said controller mechanisms from the lines 1'. 2', 3', 4' and 5 of the locking motors and 6, 7 of the power motors. If itbe desired to operate the guns separately said multiple switches 133 are all closed, but switches 134 are opened to electrically disconnect each gun from the other.

The accuracy of aim of each gun will depend upon the movement in elevation or depression permitted by the controlling motor in progressing from on magnet 98 to' the next. As indicated in Figure 15, the brushes 109 and 110 are just large enough to contact with three pairs of contacts 106 and 106 at-a time, but the spaces between said contacts are of such width that as the brushes are moved, say to the right. they will break connection with a pair of contacts at the left before contacting with a new pair at the right, so that as the brushes sweep over the contacts they will alternately energize two and three pairs of magnets 98 at a time. \Vhen three pairs of magnets are energized the axis of maximum efiort will be in the plane of the middlev pair of the three, while when two pairs are energized the axis of maximum effort will be in a'plane midway between said two pairs. Thus, twice as many steps of progression may be provided as there are magnets in the motor. It progression from one magnet to another represents an elevation or depression of the gun through two minutes of are it is possible by energizing alternately two and three magnets at a time to elevate or depress said gun in steps of one minute of arc.

We show a modified form of auxiliary motor in Figures 16 and 17. Figure 16 is'a sectional plan View of a part of said motor taken on the line 16 16 of Figure 17, while Figure 17 is a vertical section taken onthe line 17---17of Figure 16l' Mounted on a base ring. Secured to a support 137 overlying said base is another series of solenoids 138, coinciding in number and in'axial alignment with the solenoids 136 but spaced apart from them. Plungers or movable cores 139 are provided which are common to mating solenoids 136 and 138; that is, a single core is furnished for a solenoid 136 and that immediately overhead. Mounted on a ball-andsocket joint 140 concentrically with said series of solenoids is a plate 141 formed with slots 1.42 along its periphery to receive the plungcrs 139. Said plate 141 carries a pyramidal frame 143 connected at its apex by a ball-and-socket oint 144 with crank arm 145 secured to shaft 146. Afiixed to shaft 146 is a worm 147 engaging worm wheel 148. Formed on each plunger 139 is a pair of buttons 149 adapted to bear against opposite side of plate 141. The solenoids 136 are wound like magnets 98 in Figure 15 and are similarly connected to a controlling mechanism C by which they may be energized in pairs or groups of pairs, as explained above; Each solenoid 138 is electrically connected in series with the solenoid 136 directly below it but is oppositely wound. The plungers 139 are polarized so that when a solenoid 136 is attracting its plunger 139 its mate 138 is repelling said plunger and assisting in moving it downward. At the same time the diametrically opposite solenoids 136 and138 will be operating to move their respective common plungers 139 upward. As the solenoids are successively energized by the movement of contact lever 1'08 plungers 139 will "be successively actuated to gyrate said plate 135 is a series of solenoids 136 arranged in a' 141 on its bearing, communicating rotary motion to Worm 147 and worm wheel 148. The function of said worm and Worm wheel is the same as the function of worm 92 and worm wheel 91. The periphery of plate 141 and the adjacent faces of contact buttons 149 are so curved as to remain always in contact while said plate is gyrated by reciprocatory motion of said plungers 139.

While we have shown in the drawings only a few line wires (15 Figs. 10 and 15) connected with a much greater number of windings (98 Fig. 15), we do not limit ourselves to the form of electrical connection. We Wish it to be clearly understood that we may use other combinations of wiring or we may provide a line wire for each magnet or solenoid winding with a common return or ground wire, and we may energize any desired number of solenoids at a time.

We have shown the gun 81 and-81 as elevated by means of electric motors 86 and 86*. However, we do not limit ourselves to such elevating mechanism. Naval guns are often elevated by means-of hydraulic plungers and it will be clearly evidcnt that our auxiliary motors A. and A may be employed to curb said hydraulic plungers in exactly the same manner as the movement of the motors 86'and 86 may be controlled;

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a vessel subject to torsional movements, a rigid member secured to said vessel at onepoint while the vessel may move relatively thereto at other points, and means for indicating relative torsional movements of the said vessel with respect to said rigid member at the said. points thereon.

2. In a structure subject to torsional movements, the combination of a gun mounted on said structure, a rigid member secured to said structure at one point While the structure may move relatively thereto atother points, and means for moving said gun with respect to said structure in proportion to the said torsional movements of said structure with respect to said rigid member.

3. In a vessel subject to torsional movement, a shaft rigidly secured to said vessel at one point,- bearings secured to said vessel atother points in which bearings said "shaft may freely turn, graduated arcs on said ship, and arms secured to said shaft and adapted to move with respect to said arcs.

4. A vessel subject to torsional movements, a plurality of guns mounted on said vessel, means for rockingsaid guns with respect to said vessel, mechanism for the control of the speed of operation of said means, a member mounted on said vessel but not partaking of said torsional movements, and apparatus for modifying said control of the speed of operation of said means in proportion to the torsional movement of'said' vessel with respect to said member. v

Signed at New York, New York, this 11th day of November, 1919.

JOHN. BERNARD WALKER. ALEXANDER RUSSELL BOND. 

